Blog // Connect Puerto Rico

08/30/12

More seniors are using social media

By Wil Payton

If you think that seniors are hesitant to harness the benefits of broadband then don’t tell that to folks like Florence Detlor. At 101 years old, she's been named by Facebook as the oldest of its 900 million registered users.
Just log on to Facebook or Twitter these days and it is not unusual to notice families having a multi-generational chat.
Below is a portion of a CNN Tech article about older users flocking to Facebook and Twitter:
"Young adults continue to be the heaviest users of social media, but their growth pales in comparison with recent gains made by older users," said Mary Madden, a senior research specialist with the Pew...

08/29/12

Technology is Rapidly Transforming the Institution of Education

By Wil Payton

In September we’ll be highlighting the role technology plays in the education sector.
From kindergarten through college, learning is becoming more of a virtual, web-based experience. A recent MSNBC.com article highlighted the efforts to expand the telepresence of the Deer River School District in Minnesota. Below is a portion of that article:
In northern Minnesota, new technology will help level the playing field for schools in remote areas, said Matt Grose, chair of the Itasca Area Schools Collaborative and superintendent for the Deer River School District in Deer River, Minn.
The collaborative, which includes 20 schools and 6,000 students...

08/20/12

Inaugural Board for FirstNet Public Safety Network Announced

By Connected Nation

Today the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) within the Department of Commerce announced the composition of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board. FirstNet was created earlier this year by Congress through the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act with the mandate to create a nationwide interoperable wireless broadband network that will enable police, firefighters, emergency medical service professionals, and other public safety officials to more effectively communicate and do their jobs. The Act mandates the NTIA to form a FirstNet Board by August 20 comprised of 15...

08/14/12

The GIF File Format Reemerges During This Year’s Olympic Games

By Wil Payton

The GIF file, long relegated to the bottom of the technology toolbox, has resurged during the recently completed Olympic Summer Games. In this era of short attention spans, the GIF provides a perfect format for viewing compelling video tidbits.
Sure, there were multiple opportunities to see the assorted events on the various NBC affiliated channels, but interpreting the viewing schedule could easily become a formidable task. An article in the New York Times highlighted this development as follows:
And over the past few weeks, the Games have highlighted the GIF as a particularly compelling storytelling format, an amalgamation of video and...